City Council Approves Cutlass Plans
Work is already underway to carve 25 retro-modern apartments out of the core of the former Cutlass Motor Lodge following action by the Antigo Common Council Wednesday.
On a unanimous vote, aldermen approved rezoning the property at 915 S. Superior St. as a R-4 general residence district to allow the project to advance. It was the first step in a process that should see the development ready for occupancy by mid-summer.
If nothing holds me up, we’ll be done by then, Randy Lewis, general contractor, said.
Lewis and his crew are already working inside the structure, salvaging what there is to save and making plans to demolish the west end of the building, which housed the kitchen, barroom and dining area, offices and the swimming pool, which remains in surprisingly good shape.
There’s not a crack in it, Lewis said, joking that I wish I could take it out of there and bring it home.
That soon-gone facility, just as a side note, is among the deepest in the state for a motel. Modern codes required the pools be no deeper than five feet. A portion of the old Cutlass swimming hole is carved out to 10 feet deep, below where the diving board was once located.
Based in Minneapolis, Trimac Rentals includes a mix of Antigo natives and outside developers, including Korey Stern, Jon Marshalla, Travis Budisalovich and David Dziamarski, who is handling local leasing arrangements.
The company started in Minneapolis and turned its sights to the northwoods, specifically the Antigo, Shawano and Rhinelander areas, because they felt there was an opportunity to invest in affordable quality housing.
Korey has always been talking about the Cutlass, Marshalla said. There is definitely a need.
The Cutlass will be an exceptional addition, not only to the neighborhood but to the entire Antigo community, Stern said. We see this project as a catalyst for spurring additional developments and jobs in the area, and is one of the many reasons we’re continuing to attract even more vibrant professionals to live, work and enjoy the city.
The 25 units will include two efficiency, seven one-bedroom, and 15 two-bedroom flats along with one two-bedroom, handicapped accessible apartment.
The total project cost is in excess of $1 million, a bargain compared to brand-new construction.
It’s got great lines, Dziamarski said.
It allows us some cost savings because of what’s already there, Marshalla added.
Apartments will be available on a flexible, month-to-month basis, making them ideal for students enrolled in programs at nearby Northcentral Technical College, limited-time employees and people new to the community, many of Trimac’s other developments have sustained long-term renters.
We’re hoping to fill a lot of needs, Marshalla said.
The developers are looking at other properties in the community as well, they said, and more announcements may be forthcoming
We’re always looking, Marshalla said. We see a lot of opportunity for economic growth in the area.
Cutlass Apartments developers include, from left, Korey Stern, general contractor Randy Lewis, Jon Marshalla and David Dziamarski. The proposal received necessary rezoning to move forward Wednesday night.
Source: Antigo Daily Journal